Thursday, September 20, 2012

Delightful Challenges

Good Morning!  How are you? I'm doing well, the week so far hasn't been too bad.  I did have a Mean People Monday, some woman had the audacity and the immaturity to tell that I suck because I wasn't able to help her.  A few others just hung up on me.  I would really like to understand where people feel they have license to speak with customer service people like their less than dogs.  But after that Tuesday and Wednesday were much better.

Now let's talk about the challenge this week at Delightful Challenges.  This week we're going Distressed.  I took this challenge as far as I dared to take it.  I tried to go even more, but the stuff I got was garbage.  Come on, I'll show you.



I made this adorable Christmas decoration.  I got this cheap ($1.99) wooden tile tray.  I painted it a chocolate brown and then applied Crackle Medium.  This was the part that was garbage.  I do not recommend DecoArt One Step.  But anyway, after the crackle medium dried I painted it again with ivory.  It did crackle a tiny bit and in a couple of areas I sanded the paint to bring the brown to the foreground.

I used dies from MFT and inked everything to give it an aged look.  I printed and colored up Sledding Noah (my favorite Christmas image) and then inked him, too.


I got the flowers from the $1 bin at Michaels.  The white poinsettias I aged with a bit of watered down Close to Cocoa ink.  I mixed that up in a mini-mister and sprayed it.  I got a bit more brown than intended, but overall, it still works.


Here you can see the doily die cut that I inked up twice and then cut the word JOY by loading a Olde London font I got for free from DaFont.com and then cut with my new electronic cutter.  Yes, Shell, I ordered an eCraft.  I'm still learning how to use it, but I like it so far.

I hope you like what I created to share with you and that it inspires you to step out and let yourself go like I did.  I had a lot of fun creating this.  Many hugs to you all.


Supplies:
Image:  Sledding Noah
Card stock:  Neenah Classic Crest, Red (Bazzil Basics), Forest Green (Recollections), Very Vanilla (SU!)
Copics:  C5, C7, E000, E00, E13, E17, 18, E34, E37, R11, R27, R29, W-3, YG17
Tools:  wood tray (Michaels), Ivory & Chocolate brown acrylic paints, One Step Crackle (DecoArt - not recommended), eCraft, eCraftShop, Cuttlebug, Dainty Doily Duo dies (MFT), Med Leafy Flourish die (MFT), circle cutters (CM), Walnut Stain & Tea Dye Distress Inks (Ranger)
Embellishments:  poinsettias (Michaels $1 bin)


5 Encouraging Thoughts:

Craftin Suzie (Susan Wykes) said...

Its just fab Melissa. Love how the flowers look and little Noah looks perfect in there! x

Lisa Foster said...

Hi Mel!
OH MY GOSH! This is the cutest ever! Beautiful decoration, distressing..all of it! You are just amazing!
(Don't let the mean people get to you..they are everywhere...rude, insensitive..I know it's unbelievable!)
Hugs,
Lisa F.

Larelyn said...

Wow, Melissa, this is amazing. Even though it gave you fits, it turned out wonderfully well. Ooooh, an Ecraft! I just can't decide which machine to get - I think hubby is resigned to the fact that another one will be here LOL!

Ciska said...

I think it's lovely Melissa, I can't really see the faults you pointed out and love the overall project. I suppose we're all our own worst critic :)

Papercrafting Princess said...

A work of art!

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